Scanning device for cathode-ray oscillographs



. Filed Feb. 19, 1945 H. G. BUslGNlEs .2,480,837

SCANNING DEVICE FOR CATHODE-RAY OSCILLOGRAPHS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 6, 1949..

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i A 'Z'TRN Y Sept. 6, 1949. H. G. BUSIGNu-:s 2,480,837

SCANNING DEVICE FOR CATHODE-RAY OSCILLOGRAPHS Filed Feb. 19, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @ya N fhg? `IN VEN TOR. HENRI 6. VBas/@w55 Patented Sept. 6, 1949 SCANNIN G DEVICE FOR CATHDE-RAY Y OSCILLOGRAPHS v Henri G. Busignies, Forest Hills, N. Y., assigner to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 19, 19,43, serial No. 476,40v

In France March 30, 1940 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 30, 1960,-

s claims. (cl. '31a- 22) This application is a continuation in part of a copending application Serial Number 380,187, filed February 24, 1941, now abandoned.

This invention relates to scanning devices for cathode ray oscillographs and in particular to so-called time base circuits for such oscillographs.

Time base circuits Yfor oscillograph indicators are used to produce sweep waves which control the displacement of the cathode ray beam as a-function of time, after which the cathode ray is abruptly returned to the zero position Land the displacement is repeated. D

According to my invention scanning 1sV provided to cover a part only of the period of phenomena under study. By using only a part of this period an effective magnification of the indicators may be obtained so that the useful part of the indicationamay be more easily and accur-ately read.

It is a principal feature of my invention to provide a scanning circuit for a cathoderay oscillograph in which the scanning takes place during a predetermined fraction of the period of the phenomena under test. v

It is a further object of my invention to provide a cathode ray oscillograph indicator wherein only a fraction of the period under observation is reproduced on the screen of the tube the remaining fractions being suppressed.

It is a further feature of my invention to provide a system indicating with great precision, by spreading out the deflections representing a fraction of the phenomenon under studyto occupy the entire screen of the cathode ray oscillograph which thus acts the lpart of a Vernier with respect to a main oscillograph. Y l

According to a feature of my invention the indicator may be used for the detection of obstacles by observation of reflections or echoes of trains of impulses. In such systems trains of impulses are spaced apart in time in accordance with the distance to be measured and transmitted. The impulses are received after reflection from the objects to be detected andare applied to an oscillograph indicator, the sweep of which is timed with respect to the instant of .impulse transmission. The received pulses produce a deflection of the cathode ray beam during the scanning interval. The distance location of the reflecting object may thus be determined by the location of the deilection along the beam scanning trace. By the use of my invention the scanning waves of a sawtooth form may be made to cover the distance representing only a desired portion of the entire distance to be explored.

This represented portion, owever, covers the entire'width of the screen. Use of sawtooth scanning circuit of this type produces several advantages. Only the signals reflected during the time corresponding :to the scanned zone or portion appear on the screen of the cathoderay oscillograph to the exclusion of the parasitic sig-V nals proceeding from other distantly spaced re-Y flection objects. In addition the scale of the indicator is magnified so that a more precise measurement of the distance to the observed reflecting object can be obtained.

AA better understanding of my invention and the objects of. the features thereof may be had from the `particular descriptionv thereof made in reference toV the accompanying` drawings in which;v

Fig. 1 illustrates a circuitin accordance with my invention for producing sawtooth scanning waves;

Fig. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of my invention used for producing the scanning waves .Fig 2A is a set of curves used in explaining the operation of the circuit of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a diagram of a receiver in accordance with my invention illustrating a calibrator sys,- tem therefor; Y Y Y Fig. 4 is =a still further embodiment of my ine vention showing a still different arrangement for producing the desired scanning effect;

And Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are curves used in explaining the operation of curves in Fig. 4.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated -an embodiment of my invention using a conventional sawtooth scanning generator circuit in which means is provided for extinguishing or suppressing the spot traced by the oscillograph. According to the arrangement impulse signals Fo are applied over a line 2li from the transmitter impulse generator, not shown. These impulses travers-e an impulse multiplying circuit 3i) and lappear as a train of negative impulses F on line 2|. The impulses F areV spaced apart and their period is a fraction of the period of the impulses Fo such that there a-re a completed number of F pulses during a single :period of Fo.

Impulses F are applied to a sawtooth scanning generator 3| to produce scanning waves Lat a multiple frequency ofFo. A receiver 32 is provided for receiving pulses Fo after reflection and applying them to a set of deflecting plates 33 `on a cathode ray oscillograph CR. 'Ihese plates are arranged at right angles to the deflection plates to which the s-awtooth scanning waves are applied. Thus the reflection impulses received at 32 produce lateral deviations of the beam as deected by the sawtooth generator at a point along the scanning line corresponding to the time of reception or distance of the reflection also. However, the scanning frequency is -a multiple of the period of wave F and several tra-ces would appear in the period of Fo and confusion would result unless means is provided to suppress all of the scanning waves except that one on which it is desired to make the observations.

To accomplish the suppressionthe circuit arrangement of Fig. 1 may be used. The impulses Fo are applied over an adjustable pulse delay means 34 to the input grid of a tube V2. The impulses in the output of V2 are of course reversed in phase due to the inherent characteristics of the amplifier and these reversed impulses are applied to the input of V3 where they are again reversed in phase, From the output of tube V3 the amplified impulses are applied to the input of V5 and are reproduced in the output again in phase reversed relationship. The impulses F are passed through tube Vl which causes a phase reversal and the output waves from tube Vl are combined with the output waves lfrom V5 `producing a resultant wave la. "This resultant wave is applied over a diode D arranged to pass only the positive impulses to the input grid of a tube V1. A time constant circuit R, C is connected in the grid circuit of tube V1 the time constant of this circuit being in the order of l/F. The positive impulses applied to tube Vl tend to maintain this tube in conductive condition causing the anode circuit to become negative and maintaining a negative bias on the grid 35 of cathode ray tube CR. This negative lbias then prevents the beam from impinging on the screen of the tube CR. The impulses Fo from the output of tube V3 are also applied to the input to tube V6 thus appearing in the output of VE as negative impulses. These negative impulses are -applied to the grid of tube V1 blocking this tube. This causes the grid 35 to acquire its positive charge and the cathode ray beam to be passed to the cathode ray screen. Because of the harmonic relationship between F and Fo a line will be traced on the screen during one cycle only of the sawtooth waves from generator 3|. Thus only signals which are received on 32 during this brief scanning period will be reproduced on the indicator.

The pulse delay means 34 is preferably adjusted in steps equal to the period of Wave F so that any desired fixed fraction of the period of Fo may be produced as a indication on the cathode ray screen. Furthermore if desired the pulses Fu may be applied to receiver 32 to render it inoperative to receive signals during periods when the pulses are transmitted. This feature, however, is not necessary to an understanding of my invention and for this reason is not described in detail here.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 2 a circuit is devised to generate a sawtooth wave for scanning the cathode ray beam only during the period when observation is desired. In this arrangement wave impulses Fo are applied over line to the input of tube V14. These impulses are amplified in tube VIS and are passed over diode rectifier D2 and adjustable delay line L2 to the grid tube Vil. A battery B2 is arranged with one terminal connected to ground and the other terminal connected over a resistance R2 to condenser C2. Charging of condenser C2 from battery B2 cannot take place until a ground is established for the other plate of condenser C2. The impulses applied to the grid of VH render this tube conductive serving to produce a ground for condenser C2. Accordingly, while tube VH is maintained in this conductive condition, condenser C2 will build up a charge. Time constant circuit C3, R3, is provided to maintain the positive charge on the grid of tube Vl! for a predetermined fraction of the period of Fo. This time constant must be suiiiciently large so that the positive charge is maintained for a period longer than the desired sawtooth element to be produced for scanning.

From the output of tube VM energy is also passed through a delay line LA, tube VIS and tube V11. Delay line LA is adjusted to provide a delay equal to the desired fraction of the period of the input impulses F0. The impulses at the output of tube Vil are negative and so upon application to the grid of tube VH serve to block this tube and stop further charging of condenser C2. The time constant circuit C3, R3 tends to maintain this negative charge keeping the tube blocked until arrival of the next positive pulse from the output of rectifier D2. Accordingly, the voltage on the grid of tube Vll receives alternately positive and negative impulses as indicated in curve 2a of Fig. 2A. Because of the time constant circuit this is converted in the output of VI I into a resultant voltage curve as shown at 2b of this figure.

In order to produce the sawtooth wave forni, as shown in 2c of Fig. 2A, it is necessary to discharge half the positive charging impulse. To effect this discharge I provide an oscillator Vl2. This oscillator is adjusted by suitable biasing means so it will not oscillate without a further additional control voltage. The additional control voltage is provided by passing an impulse from the output of tube V55 over a tube VI3 to a coil dit which is coupled with feedback coils lll of the oscillator. This impulse, arriving at the time when condenser C2 is most highly charged, forces tube Vl 2 into oscillation. The plate supply for tube Vl2 is provided by the negative charge built up on the cathode of the tube in condenser C2.` Vl2 once having been started into oscillation continues to oscillate until condenser C2 has been discharged. In this manner the oscillator serves to discharge condenser C2 rapidly, producing the resultant output wave form shown at 2c of Fig. 2A.

Delay line LA may be made adjustable if desired to vary the length of the sawtooth sweep. Furthermore, delay means may be provided in the line between VI l and the grid of the tube VH which may be also made adjustable with delay line LA so that initiation and termination of lthe sawtooth waves may be adjusted. 'Such an additional delay line is shown at L2, Fig. 2. By making both these delay lines adjustable the position of the fractional sawtooth sweep may be varied to any desired point along the time axis of input wave Fo.

In addition to the scanning control arrangement described above, further means may be provided to produce an indicating scale on the screen of cathode ray tube CR. One such system is schematically illustrated in Fig. 3. In this arrangement receiver 32 is connected in a manner similar to that shown Shown in Fig. l and is arranged to apply deiiecting potentials to the vertical deflector plates. At the same time the sweep voltage may be controlled -by signals incoming over lines 20 and 2| by a sawtooth generator 50 and the cathode beam control I similar' to those described in the foregoing Figure 1. It should be understood, however, that if desired the scanning may be controlled by other means such as the circuit-arrangement shown in Fig. 2.

The scale Calibrating for the tube CR is provided by means of pulses of frequency F obtained from' line 2l and applied to a first frequency multiplier' 52. The output of the frequency multiplier may be forked, one part of it going through impulse generator 53 which is connected directly to the vertical deflecting plates of tube CR. This impulse generator 53 may produce pulse indications of a desired amplitude; as shown at P. The other fork from the output of multiplier 52 is applied to a further frequency multiplier 54 and from this multiplier energy pulse'signals areY produced in pulse generator 55. These pulses are produced at a harmonic frequency with respect to the pulses generated in 53. Upon application of these frequency multiplied pulses to the verti-v cal deflecting electrodes of tube CR. other smaller divisions of the scale may be produced, as indicated at Pl. By properly coordinating the spacing of these calibrating impulses generated by 53y and 55 with the distance to be measured a direct indication of the distance indicated by any received impulse may be directly read from the cathode ray screen. Y

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a still further embodiment of my invention for producing fractional scale deviations on a cathode ray oscillograph CR. 'Ihe operation of this system will be Aexplained together with the curves shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Incoming impulses Fo are applied to the receiver calibrator circuit'll in the same manner shown in Fig. 3. These impulses are also vapplied to a frequency tripler 5| which serves to drive a scanning generator 62 producing a sawtooth scanning wave of the form shown at C, Fig. 5. The periodicity of these sawtooth waves is a multiple `of the periodicity of waves Fo, for example, the

third multiple as shown. The pulses Ft are also applied to sawtooth generator 15 producing sawtooth waves of period T, shown at the curve a, Fig. 5. These sawtooth Waves'are then applied to a voltage limiter 65 which serves to cut off the top and bottom thirds of the sawtooth oscillation leaving a resultant curve, such asshown at curve b, Fig. 5. This output voltage is then applied to the grid of electron tube 66 from whence it is applied in the same phase to terminal 69 and in opposite phase to terminal 68. Thus, the voltage at terminal 6B will have the form shown in Fig. 7.

Sawtooth waves from the output of 15 are also applied to a second voltage limiter circuit 1| designed to pass only the top and bottom thirds of the sawtooth wave thereby producing the wave forms shown at curves a and b, Fig. 6. The energy of wave form a is passed directly to a mixer 12, while the energy of wave form b is applied to an inverter circuit 13 producing a resultant output voltage of curve c, Fig. 6, which is applied to mixer 12. The summation of the voltages of curves a and c of Fig. 6, produces an output Wave as shown at curve d, Fig. 6 which is conducted to terminal 10.

Since the scanning waves applied to cathode ray tube CR are of three times the frequency of the normal pulse period T, it is clear that these three waves would be superposed on the screen of the cathode ray tube if they were all permitted to pass. However, the circuit arrangement of Fig. 4 is designed to permit selective indication Y readily ascertained by reference to curve b of Fig.

5. At the center position 10 only the middle third oscillation is permitted to pass, as will be readily apparent by reference to the control voltage curve d of Fig. 6, while in the third position 68, only the last third Wave will be effective, as is evidenced by the control voltage curve of Fig. 7. Accordingly, it is clear that with this arrangement a selected fractional portion of the period may be covered by the sweep voltage of the cathode ray tube.

While I have described my invention with reference to particular embodiments and modifications thereof, it is not my intention that these.

embodiments serve as limitations on the scope of my invention. The scope of my invention may be readily determined by reference to the stated objects thereof and the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cathode ray indicator comprising a, cathode ray generator and a cooperating screen, means for deecting the ray in one direction in response to spaced impulses occurring periodically, means to produce impulses at a period which is a multiple of the period of said spaced impulses, means to produce saw tooth waves at the period of saidV multiple impulses, means for causing said saw tooth Waves to deflect the ray in another direction, means to derive impulses from said first mentioned spaced impulses which are of an opposite polarity from said multiple impulses but are of the same magnitude, means to combine said multiple impulses with said derived impulses, means to adjust the phase of said derived impulses so that any one series of said multiple impulses corresponding in time with said derived impulses will be canceled out by said derived impulses, and means to cause the remaining of said multiple impulses to suppress the ray during the period of time including the rst and last impulse ofV anygroup of said multiple impulses whereby said ray will be moved across said screen in a predetermined fracticn of the period of the rst mentioned spaced impulses.

2. A cathode ray indicator according to claim 1 further comprising means for so adjusting the limits of the predetermined fraction as to reproduce a desired portion of said period.

3. A cathode ray indicator comprising a cathode ray generator land a cooperating screen, means lfor deflecting the ray in one direction in response to spaced impulses occurring periodically, timing means synchronized with said rst means for deecting the ray in another direction coordinated with the first direction across said screen during a predetermined fraction of the period of said impulses, and means for suppressing the ray `during the portion of the said period which is non-coincident with said predetermined fraction, said last mentioned means comprising a rst vacuum tube, means for applying control voltage impulses at said predetermined period of repetition to said first vacuum tube, a storage means coupled to said rst vacuum tube, a second vacuum tube, a delay network having a delay period equal to said fraction of said predetermined -period for applying said control voltages to said second vacuum tube,

connections between said secondV vacuum :tubeand said y storage means for :removing potentials stored therein by -said Vfirst Vacuum ytube, :and

means responsive to potentials lin saidstoragemeans .for suppressingsaidfray in .response to impulses applied to said rst vacuum :tube and -for rendering said ray eective by impulses .applied to said second vacuum tube. Y

4. A cathode ray .indicator comprising acathode ray generator and a cooperatingV screen,V means for deflecting the ray -n'one .directionin response to spaced yimpulses occurring periodically, timing means synchronized with;said^r s't means ,for deflecting the .ray .in .another direction coordinated with the first .direction across said screen during a predetermined .fractionof the period of said impu1ses,.and .means fcrsup-V pressing the ray during theportionofsaid,period which is non-coincident with said ,predetermined fraction, said means comprising a saw'toothgenerator operating at said predetermined period,

a voltagefto said control gridr to --suppressfsaidrayA and including means controlled by said controlpulses for rendering said Yra-yeffective for only one sweep'oreach control pulse. Y

-6. A-combination according-to claim Sandincluding adjustable means `for selecting the -particular-sweep'of said plurality of `sweepsin which said rayis renderedI effective. v

7. A-catliode vray indicator comprising a cathode ray tube,lnieans'forproducinglalcathode ray in said atube, first andsecondsdeflecting means for deflecting said ray respec'tivelyin two-directions, a receiving means for :receiving impulses having a 4Vpredetermined -period yof repetition,

means for applying said receivedfimpulsesit'ol said 'first `deflecting means, a source of saw-tooth waves .'-having a periodicity which lis a multiple of -the periodicityofrsaid received impulses, means for applying said saw-tooth waves -to said second deflectingfmeans, and Imeans for suppressing said cathode Y,rayfduring the time that all butonezof said saw-toothwwaves are applied to said second deecting means in eachv period of repetition of said received impulses. Y

:8. A .cathode ray indicator comprising a cathode raytubemeans forproducing a cathode ray in said tube, rst..andsecond deflecting means for deiiecting said 4ray respectively .in two directions, 4ar=receivingr-means yfor receiving `impulses having .a .predetermined .period of repetition, means .for .applying said received impulses to said first .deflecting means, a source of impulses .of the same periodictyas said received impulses, means .including ,a frequency .multiplier for .de-

Y riving from said sourceof impulses asaW-tooth wave Vhaving .a-duration which is a sub-multiple of the period .of repetitiorrofv said vreceived Aimpulses, and .means .for applying said saw-tooth WaveY tothesaid. second deflectingmeans synchronously with the application of said received .impulsesto. said Aiirst ^deiecting means.

.HENRI G. BUSIGNIES.

.REFERENCES CITED The following ref erencesrare of record lin ythe file of this patent: l

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